6 Eye-Opening Makeup Tips from Solenn Heussaff

Whether you’re going for barely-there beauty or evening glam, everyone’s got their own opinion on perfect makeup. But when Solenn Heussaff ladles out her star-approved advice, we’re all ears!

Last week, we caught up with the talented L’Oréal Paris Ambassador at her first Live Beauty Workshop, where she showcased her skills as a Paris-trained MUA.
We thought we’d seen and done it all, but a quick chat with the Fil-French stunner proved us wrong. Scroll down for 6 awesome makeup tips she shared only with BeautyMNL. Fun fact: they include breaking the rules!

ON HER BEST MAKEUP TRICK EVER

“After applying my makeup, I usually just spray my face with water or any setting makeup product. But water removes the artificial layer, [so] I spray water, and then I blot it. I even blot [my lips] with tissue, so [the color is] more natural-looking.”

ON COMMON “NATURAL MAKEUP” MISTAKES

“A lot of people think that natural makeup is just foundation. But if you put foundation and don’t contour your eyes or your cheeks, it looks flat. If you’re doing a no-makeup makeup look, I suggest that after foundation, you contour the crease of your eyes or at least your cheeks. If your skin’s nice, then just apply concealer. You don’t have to do the whole foundation thing.”
“You always have to put [eyeshadow] under [your eyes]. Our under-eyes are darker naturally, even when we sleep well. It doesn’t look right if it’s super bright.”

ON THE ONE BEAUTY RULE THAT MUST NEVER BE BROKEN

“They have this rule [that] if your eyes are light, darken your lips, or if your eyes are dark, lighten your lips. But you can do dark eyes + dark lips. Just make sure the tone you choose for the lips is more brown than red. When you do a brown lip or red lip with brown undertones, it makes you look high-fashion.”

ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MAKEUP AND SKINCARE

“I never used to take care of my skin. Now I know my mom was annoying me for a reason. One, make sure to remove your makeup. I used to sleep with makeup, but then you get pimples and all these other annoying things. Two, don’t remove it like a man.[Editor’s note: She meant “be gentle.”] And three, night cream—but only at night. That’s why products like the primer work. It makes your skin smooth and hydrated without feeling sticky. Oh, and facials once in a blue moon.”

ON TRANSITIONING FROM DAY TO NIGHT

“I prefer my makeup when it’s old. Let’s say I have an event at 10 in the morning: I’ll apply my makeup at 7:30AM. I like it when [foundation] sets into the skin. If I have a night event, I usually don’t reapply it. I like the glowing factor. If I have to retouch at night, I usually just retouch the concealer because that’s what gets out easily—and it’s my problem area. I’ll put shimmer on my cheeks, and maybe I’ll darken my eyes with browns. I like to stick to natural.”

ON THE MAKEUP PRODUCT ONE MUST NEVER SKIP

“Mascara. I feel like it really just opens your eyes right away, so I usually put it on top and under. It brightens your face!”

Some items worth adding:

Acne Pimple Master Patch

Acne Pimple Master Patch

COSRX

CLAIM TO FAME: A pack of hydrocolloid stickers that spot-correct pimples

FAST FACTS: Soothes blemishes and reduces redness; infused with hydrocolloid to coax out deep-rooted pimples, speeding up their life cycle; protects skin against further infection; leaves the complexion clear and spotless